The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 11 Aug 2008

11.08.2008 Mahiliou: pressurization of the initiative group of Ryhor Kastusiou

The members of the initiative group of a member of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Ryhor Kastusiou (running at electoral district #90 in Shklou) are pressurized. In particular, the local KGB officers interrogated without any sufficient reasons the head of Kastusiou’s team Barys Vyrvich, and one of its members, Valiantsina Shchetnikava.

11.08.2008 Vitsebsk: pressurization of police inspector Andrei Levinau increases

Recently the police inspector of Chyhunachny district police department of Vitsebsk Andrei Levinau has got his initiative group registered. He intends to run for parliament at Chyhunachnaya electoral district #19 in Vitsebsk. The police administration decided to punish the police inspector for this initiative. At first they checked his work, but no pretensions were found. Then a disciplinary case was brought against Levinau on the basis of several cases on which he had decided not to bring any criminal proceedings.

11.08.2008 Homel: state media continue agitating for pro-governmental candidates

The state regional newspaper Homelskiya Vedamastsi publishes interviews with the officials who run for parliament. In its issue for 9 August a whole page was dedicated to Alexander Shatsko. Now Shatsko is an MP from Navabelitskaya electoral district #36 of Homel. He also intends to run for parliament again.

11.08.2008 Homel oblast: democrats nominated 214 representatives to local electoral commissions

More than 1 100 polling stations have been established in Homel oblast. Thus, if all their representatives are included in the local electoral commissions, the united democratic forces can cover 20% of the polling stations.

11.08.2008 Babruisk: Ales Chyhir and his initiative group summonsed to military enlistment office

The resident of Babruisk Ales Chyhir who intends to run for parliament, has received a writ from the local military enlistment office. There it is written that he is summonsed to the office for ‘amendment of the documents’. Similar writs were received by two members of Chyhir’s initiative group. All writs are for Tuesday.

11.08.2008 Party of Communists Belarusian to sue Lukashenka for discrediting

At its assembly this Sunday the PCB ruled to sue Alexander Lukashenka, who in connection with the blast on 4 July stated that ‘Kaliakin’s communists profess fascist ideology’.

11.08.2008 Shchuchyn: state paper tells who is worth to be elected

In Shchuchyn an agitation article ‘Only worthy people must be in the parliament’ was published in the 5 August issue of the district newspaper Dziannitsa.

11.08.2008 Minsk: pressurization of nominees to electoral commissions

As said by members of the initiative group of a member of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Viktar Ivashkevich, in the morning of 7 August the BPF filed the list of nominees to the local electoral commissions of Minsk Kastrychnitski electoral district #97. In the evening two of the nominees received telephone calls. They were asked whether they still wanted to be members of the initiative group and then were invited to the local administration without any explanations.

11.08.2008 Barysau: early agitation in state newspaper

A member of the United Civil Party Viktar Harbachou has addressed the Ministry of Information, the central electoral commission and Barysau district electoral commission #62 with a complaint about the lawless activities of the editorial office of the Yedinstvo newspaper, founded by Barysau district executive committee. The matter is that the newspaper has already published a number of articles with calls to vote for the MP Viktar Huminski again. Harbachou considers it as early agitation violating the electoral laws.